Largest UK ultra rapid charging 'Super Hub' - Winchester

[Sebbak]

Not sure if this is of any interest to EV owners here, but today is the opening day of what's being reported as the largest ultra rapid charging station in the UK. Local to me, so might be nosey and pop along at some point.

Bit of info:

'The largest and "most advanced" electric vehicle (EV) charging station of its kind in the UK has opened.

The new InstaVolt Superhub in Winchester, Hampshire, is located near the A34 and junction 9 of the M3 and is home to 44 "ultra-rapid" chargers.

An on-site solar farm, alongside "cutting-edge" battery storage, will be used to power the site, InstaVolt said.'

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cp8lxj6633xo

[kambites]

Too close to home to be particularly useful for me but I guess it's a step in the right direction even if 84p/kWh is rather eye-watering!

[Evanivitch]

So many sites opening now, somewhere like J36 M4 isn't a single huge site but has two sets of Superchargers, Applegreen and Sainsburys plus couple legacy electric highway, and destination chargers at the designer outlet.

[LeeM135i]

Charging costs for EV's (while away from home) is my biggest issue with them.

OK, my EV is a company car and as such my BIK bill is very low but I cover 2,000 miles a month and spend a couple of nights a week away from home so can't always charge at home.

Current government reimbursement is 7p per mile (was 8p) for EV's but that no where near covers public charging at 84p a KWh which works out at around 24p per mile. Luckily Tesla and Ionity have subscriptions which bring this down to around 10p a mile. Granted my first 250-300 miles is 2p a mile so it probably just about averages out using Tesla / Ionity chargers but it gets eye watering if you use these or Gridserve or Shell or BP or Applegreen or ........

[MarkT17]

Brother in law lives in Winchester and last time I was there I visited SEVEN zapmap'd charger locations before finding one that actually worked (ended up nearly running out of juice putting all the 'in-between sites' miles in) - so this is welcome news as the infrastructure everytime I'm down there was shockingly bad

[TheRainMaker]

LeeM135i said:

Charging costs for EV's (while away from home) but it gets eye watering if you use these or Gridserve or Shell or BP or Applegreen or ........

In my opinion, all public charging is far too expensive.

I've just travelled to a hotel for work, topped up the car for the trip back (50p per kWh), and it works out the equivalent of a petrol car doing 31mpg.

Around 20p per mile.

[Evanivitch]

MarkT17 said:

Brother in law lives in Winchester and last time I was there I visited SEVEN zapmap'd charger locations before finding one that actually worked (ended up nearly running out of juice putting all the 'in-between sites' miles in) - so this is welcome news as the infrastructure everytime I'm down there was shockingly bad

7kW destination or rapids? Rapids tend to work. Loads of orphaned destination chargers.

[Evanivitch]

LeeM135i said:

Charging costs for EV's (while away from home) is my biggest issue with them.

OK, my EV is a company car and as such my BIK bill is very low but I cover 2,000 miles a month and spend a couple of nights a week away from home so can't always charge at home.

Current government reimbursement is 7p per mile (was 8p) for EV's but that no where near covers public charging at 84p a KWh which works out at around 24p per mile. Luckily Tesla and Ionity have subscriptions which bring this down to around 10p a mile. Granted my first 250-300 miles is 2p a mile so it probably just about averages out using Tesla / Ionity chargers but it gets eye watering if you use these or Gridserve or Shell or BP or Applegreen or ........

It would help if they just put 5% VAT on it, not 20%.

[Westlondondriver]

Great news that it is finally open. My in-laws live just down the road so we have been passing it for years as they built the site whenever we visit them. My wife uses a 50kw, at Week shops I think, if she needs a top up whilst she is there but this will be better since it is on the route back and will be quicker. Haven’t been in but looks like an impressive site.

[richhead]

I live very close to where they have built this, its a very odd choice of place to build it, i wander how popular it will be.

[Downward]

84p per KW is crazy. Ok for one offs but if you have to rely on them it’s just not worth it.

[Skodillac]

richhead said:

I live very close to where they have built this, its a very odd choice of place to build it, i wander how popular it will be.

Kind of what I though. It's not great for people using the M3. I gave up taking my EV (Leaf) on day trips to the south coast, because charging options down there are absolutely pathetic, which doesn't make any sense as a place which is supposed to be attracting day trippers. You'd think there would be loads of places to charge your car whilst you stroll on the beach or have a lazy lunch and a mooch. But no. Sod all availability in most seaside towns.

[charltjr]

richhead said:

I live very close to where they have built this, its a very odd choice of place to build it, i wander how popular it will be.

Land is reeeeeely expensive round there so I guess it was their best option close to the M3 with the necessary infrastructure in place that wasn’t already earmarked for housing.

I think it’ll become more viable for M3 traffic once they’ve done the Winnall roundabout upgrade.

[kambites]

charltjr said:

I think it’ll become more viable for M3 traffic once they’ve done the Winnall roundabout upgrade.

Good point, that junction is a mess at the moment but if they can give a direct slip from M3 to A34 and back again, it'll make going a mile or so up the A34 to charge a complete non-issue.

[JD]

Largest Chargin Hub?

Surely South Mimms is still larger and has more chargers.

[Sebbak]

JD said:

Largest Chargin Hub?

Surely South Mimms is still larger and has more chargers.

I think it's the number of ultra rapid chargers specifically, rather than it literally being the largest in size overall. If that makes sense.

[plfrench]

Sebbak said:

I think it's the number of ultra rapid chargers specifically, rather than it literally being the largest in size overall. If that makes sense.

I think you’re right. The NEC has 180 chargers at the BP Pulse hub, but only 30 of those are ultra rapid.

[TheRainMaker]

plfrench said:

I think you’re right. The NEC has 180 chargers at the BP Pulse hub, but only 30 of those are ultra rapid.

And every time I’ve used it, it has been almost empty.

Some companies must be losing so much money; it’s all a bit chicken and egg.

Not complaining mind, the more capacity the better.

[ChocolateFrog]

I hypermiled home from the NEC yesterday rather than use those chargers

Not sure it was worth it but did get a certain satisfaction rolling onto the drive with 3% left.

[JD]

Sebbak said:

I think it's the number of ultra rapid chargers specifically, rather than it literally being the largest in size overall. If that makes sense.

Right, but South Mimms has over 50, this site says 42.